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The overextension of the labor force during the
Qin Dynasty would result in a popular uprising
against the empire. In 206 B.C., Liu Bang, a Qin
official, led an army composed of peasants and
some lower nobility to victory and established his
own Dynasty in place, the Han. However, unlike
the Qin, the Han would unify China and rule
virtually uncontested for over four hundred
years. It is during this time that much of what is
now considered to be Chinese culture was first
actualized. The bureaucracy started under the
Qin was now firmly established. The vast lands of
China were now under the firm grip of a central
authority. Confucianism became the state
ideology although the worship of Taoist deity
remained widespread, both among the peasants
and the aristocracy. Ancient histories and texts
were analyzed and rewritten to be more objective
while new legendary myths and cultural epics
were transcribed.
The Han era can also be characterized as one of
the greatest artistic outpourings in Chinese
history, easily on par with the glories of their
Western contemporaries, Greece and Rome.
Wealth pouring into China from trade along the
Silk Road initiated a period of unprecedented
luxury. Stunning bronze vessels were created,
decorated with elegant inlaid gold and silver
motifs. Jade carvings reached a new level of
technical brilliance. But perhaps the artistic
revival of the Han Dynasty is nowhere better
represented than in their sculptures and vessels
that were interred with deceased nobles. Called
mingqi, literally meaning “spirit articles,” these
works depicted a vast array of subject, from
warriors and horses to ovens and livestock,
which were buried alongside the dead for use in
the next world, reflecting the Chinese belief that
the afterlife was an extension of our earthy
existence. Thus, quite logically, the things we
require to sustain and nurture our bodies in this
life would be just as necessary in our next life.
This remarkable set, composed of fifteen
individually modeled and painted warriors, is a
type of work known as mingqi. This army of
sculpted warriors was discovered buried in the
tomb of an elite member of the upper strata of
Western Han society. Discovered outside of
modern X’ian, the site of the ancient capital of
China, Chang’an, this tomb find recalls the
famous tomb of Emperor Shihuangdi. While
much smaller in scale, both in regards to the
number of figures and their size, this set still
invokes the marvel and majesty of Ancient China.
Each warrior is individually hand painted with a
slightly different expression: some feature
smooth faces, others have wispy mustaches. Each
warrior wears a unique outfit. Some feature
certain emblems that are thought to signify rank.
Other warriors sport quivers on their back,
suggesting that they were archers. Most of the
figures have holes in their hands, implying that
they once carried weapons, such as a spear or a
bow, that have since disappeared. Most likely,
these weapons were made out of wood and
deteriorated over the centuries. Considering how
damaging time and the natural elements can be
to a work of art, the condition of this set is
outstanding. Much of the original pigment
remains intact. Beautiful red, blues, greens, and
grays decorate their uniforms and provide
insight into the fashions of Ancient China. This
set was created specifically to be buried
alongside the deceased to protect his soul
throughout the afterlife. Today, this collection of
painted warriors is a monument to the cultural
glories of Han Dynasty, one of the most
impressive ages of artistic creation in the history
of human civilization.
- (H.1073)
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